Strength of Spirit
by ChestnutBrumby
Summary: Written for the Secret Dream website. The tale of honorable Alpha Iris's struggle to lead her pack through various hardships...
1. Chapter 1

_Nereus smiled down at his exuberant daughter as she capered around his paws. Filled with the joys of living, Dappled Iris was the brightest spot in his life. She jumped up on him, standing on her hindlegs, propping herself against his chest with her paws. He was a powerfully-built bright rainbow male, with pale green ocelot markings and a kindly expression. _

_"Daddy, do you have to go?" _

_"It's not going to be for long, sweetheart. Only three days. The team's relying on me, you know I can't let them down." _

_Iris sighed heavily, but she looked up at her father earnestly. Her bright blue eyes were a shade darker than his own. "That's cause your the leader, isn't it?" _

_He ruffled the fur between her ears with his forepaw, nodding his head. "Yes Iris. As the leader, I have a responsibility to the team." _

_"Daddy, whats... spons-ity mean?"_

_"Responsibility - it means that you do what's right. Even when you have to do something hard to do the right thing, like saying goodbye for a little while. You'll understand when you're older." _

_Iris looked a little confused, but she nodded at his words, storing them away carefully in her memory. She always listened to her father, secretly thinking he must be the smartest waja in the whole world. Nereus pulled her in close for a hug, marvelling at his young daughter. Still clad in soft grey puppy-fur, she was as eager to learn and listen as many pups twice her age. She was going to go a long way in this world, he knew. He was proud to be her father. "I have to go get ready, sweetheart. I'll see you when I get back, okay? Be a good pup, Iris." _

"Alpha Iris?"

Iris's blue eyes opened to the face of her Delta female, Crimson Breeze. The earth waja smiled and flicked her bushy tail in greeting. "Morning, Alpha. Sorry to wake you so early, but Hunt wants to check on the herd Shade spotted yesterday."

Iris uncurled and sat up, nodding to Breeze. "No problem. Hunt is right to want to start out early. Tell him I'll be out shortly."

Breeze nodded and flicked her tail once more before withdrawing from the Alpha's den. Iris took a moment to fully wake up, stretching and shaking off the last traces of sleep.

She had grown into a a lovely shadow of her father. Not quite as brilliant as her sire, she still bore his rainbow pelt beautifully, and her dapples were a soft grey-green that tended to blend just the right amount into her fur. She hadn't inherited his solid build but was easily as tall as he was, and her slender frame bore the well-defined muscle of an active lifestyle. She was, however, noticeably underweight, and her ribs showed as she stood up and headed for the den's entrance.

Emerging outside, she glanced at the dawn sky and judged it would not be long before the sun arrived. Despite the early hour several members of her small, as-yet unnamed pack had already assembled around the warm glowing coals of the den fire. Even in the low light, Iris could recognize every one of them.

Breeze was sitting quietly to one side, listening avidly to the conversation around the fire. Aptly named Lead hunter, Hunt, was speaking to the Gamma male Bright Heart, waving a forepaw to emphasize something he was saying. Hunt was a slightly paler rainbow than Iris herself, with tri-coloured bird wings arching neatly up over his shoulderblades. Heart reminded Iris of her father. Like him he was a bold-coloured rainbow with green ocelot, although his were a lighter shade than Nereus's.

White and dark green Ivy was sitting beside Mist, who's violet fur faded into the dim morning and made her easy to overlook. Shade, the rather gruff hunter, was pacing impatiently around the group, her birdwings flickering. She was the lightest rainbow of the pack, each shade blending into the last without the definition of the deeper-coloured members of the pack. Her wings, aqua, blue, crimson and purple, were actually brighter than she was.

Like their Alpha, all of the present pack members seemed thinner than they should, although active and alert.

Muzzled dipped and tails waved as Iris stepped into the faint light cast by the small fire. She nodded her greetings and sat down, curling her tail around her forepaws. "Hunt, what have you got?"

"Alpha Iris, there was a small herd of bison travelling towards the stream late yesterday evening. From Shade's report, bad as her eyesight may be-" Here he ducked a pine-cone Shade pegged at him, continuing as if nothing had happened. "-I judge that the herd would have arrived at the stream at around moon-high. As we're all aware there's not much water to be found elsewhere, so I believe they'll be nearby this morning, as there's a fair bit of growth for them the graze on the banks."

Iris nodded thoughtfully. She never liked to make hasty decisions that could affect her pack. "Bison don't often stray to these parts. Have you ever hunted them before?"

"Yes Alpha, with my father. But I was very young." Admitted Hunt. He had been one of the first to join the pack, and had followed in his father pawsteps by becoming a talented hunter. "They can be a dangerous animal to corner, and I'd need to take several of the pack with me if we were to try it."

Iris flicked her tail-tip. "Shade, give me your assessment of the herd."

Shade stopped pacing at once, nodding a quick affirmative. Gruff she may have been, but she had nothing but respect for the Alpha. "The herd comprised of five bison, all male. I would assume since they were behaving peacefully towards one another these are young animals, not yet mature."

"Thankyou. Heart, what do you think?"

Heart squared his powerful shoulders. He was a stout waja who's size may have been intimidating if it were not for his bright colours. He was headstrong, both a skilled warrior and hunter, but actually rather prone to worry. Particularly when it came to his beloved mate. "Iris, I don't think we're left with much choice. The pregnant females need fresh meat, and the small game in the woodlands is only getting more and more scarce. Kalea... she's worried about loosing the pup, Alpha."

Iris's ears flicked back in alarm. This was the first litter between Heart and Kalea, the Gamma pair. Not only they, but the entire pack, would be devastated if anything happened. Her closest friend and Beta, Emerald, was also expecting, although was not as far along as Kalea. Now the topic was on her mind, when she glanced at Ivy it seemed the huntress's sides were looking rather more rounded than the rest of them, too. Iris recalled a few weeks back a handsome light blue appa male had spent a few nights with the pack and that confirmed it. She added Ivy to the list of currently pregnant pack females.

Iris made up her mind.

"Hunt, take who you need. I'll be coming too. Let's get organized, pack, we're leaving before sun-up."

Through the small flurry of activity as Hunt started to organize the hunting party, Iris trotted over to Ivy. "I'm afraid you're going to have to sit this one out, Ivory." She spoke quietly, but firmly. Ivy smiled ruefully and flicked her Alpha with a friendly tail-tip. "Can't get anything past you, can I now?" Iris smiled in return and nudged the hunter's shoulder. "Indeed not. congratulations, by the way. When Azure wakes up, ask her to check you over, you can never been too careful with first pregnancies."

"Yes Alpha. Safe hunting." They touched noses and Ivy trotted over to Breeze, sitting down next to the earth Delta. She too was staying behind. With hooves in place of sharp claws and flexible toes, the earth breed weren't renowned for being awfully good hunters of large game.

"Okay, so that's Heart, Shade, Mist, me, and the Alpha. Breeze, could go see if Epi's awake and ask him to join us? His experience will be useful, and we're going to need the extra muscle."

In a matter of minutes the hunting party was assembled. The pack advisor Epimetheus had joined them. He was an elder waja, deep purple with faint stockings and green and khaki-coloured bird wings. Not as nimble as the younger pack members, Epi was still a skilled flyer.

They set out with Hunt in the lead. Iris had appointed him as Lead hunter because he was the most talented in the craft of any of the pack, herself included. She led the pack overall, but she knew when to pull back. Shade took off into the air to scout, as she was familiar with the position of the herd. The stream wasn't far off and the team would still be fresh after a night's sleep and the short journey.

The drought had lasted well into the summer, and it had been early spring since they saw any rainfall. Iris's pack was relatively new, having been formed just before winter, and they had moved into this litte stretch uninhabited territory because they needed somewhere to shelter from the colder months. With the lack of rainfall and the resulting prey shortage they'd experienced, Iris had started to think about moving the pack. With pups on the way, they couldn't stay in a territory that couldn't sustain them.

But at this point in time, what they needed was a successful hunt. Iris cleared her mind of the pack worries and focused on the task ahead. Everyone here would have to work together if they had any hope of bringing down a bison.

Shade swooped gracefully towards the ground, flaring her wings at the last second and stretching out her paws to land lightly. "They're sleeping. Close. Just beside the stream."

Hunt smiled cheerful, keeping his voice low. "Nice to see you've some use around here, Shade. Right, Heart, you're with me. Mist and Iris, approach from the north. Shade, from above. Epi, you're in the air too - back up if we need you, but don't take any risks. Mist, make sure our Alpha is protected. Wait for my signal, everyone. Safe hunting."

"Aye-aye!" Whispered back Mist cheerfully, waving her tail. She looked nothing at all like a warrior, her title in the pack. Deep purple with lighter SSE markings, darker mane and an eternal good nature, she was nevertheless a powerful fighter. She also had some skill when it came to hunting, and was often called upon to round out the numbers with the hunters.

Shade and Epimetheus both took to the skies, the former with a mild scowl at Hunt. Shade and the Lead Hunter had squabbled and insulted one another since they'd met, everyone was used to them.

Iris and Mist dropped into hunting crouches and stealthily made their way through the undergrowth towards the strong scent of bison. Hunt and Heart separated from them and approached from a tangent direction.

Slowly the hunters advanced upon the small herd of bison. Shade circled silently overhead, Epimetheus gliding in her wake.

Hunt's tail lifted, then gave a sure flick to one side. Action immediately ensued. Shade folded her wings and dropped straight down, precise and deadly. Hunt, Heart, Mist and Iris leaped up and charged. The bison awoke with snorts and bellows of alarm and the canines responded with howls. Hunt was heading for a medium-sized bison with the tip of one horn missing and a deep scar down his flank. The rest of the herd stampeded in every direction. Iris and Mist swerved to one side to avoid one of the panicked beasts and were a fraction behind in reaching the target.

Hunt pulled alongside the bison, which was easily twice his height and must have weighed more than six times what he did. He snapped at his heels, trying to trip him up. Heart slowed just a tiny bit to let Hunt pull ahead, then made a bold flying leap and landed upon the bison's rump, clinging grimly with all fours paws and trying to get a grip on the thick hide with his teeth. A second later Shade hit like a thunderbolt from the skies, and the bison bellowed his panic as her weight slammed him and sharp teeth found their mark in his neck. Shade remained flying, her wings beating frantically to keep up with the charging animal, refusing to let go of the hold she had on the bison. She grunted as her shoulder and wing muscles strained; the bison wasn't so much faster than she was, just so much more powerful. She hung on grimly.

Incredibly, with two adult wajas all but riding him and three more pounding along snapping at his hooves, the bison was still charging along, panic flooding him with adrenaline. Iris, running level with their prey's forelegs, risked a quick glance ahead. There was a tangled collection of undergrowth ahead of them. It was predominantly dry, but still thick enough to slow them down. The mighty bison would plough straight through the brittle flora, and they stood a very real chance at loosing him.

Her ears flattened determinedly against her neck as Iris drew reserves of strength and charged ahead. Her intention was to tackle the bisons' head, hopefully distracting it enough for the others to pull it down. However, things didn't always go as planned on any hunt, let alone when attempting to challenge such an unpredictable opponent. Pained by the clinging and biting creatures who continued to chase him no matter how hard he tried to outrun them, the bison's unpredictable temper flared when he noticed Iris enter his field of vision. Snorting, he drew his head in the opposite direction in preparation to swipe his formidable horns at the Alpha.

Mist was running just behind Iris and saw the bison's head pulling away to one side. Iris was pouring her concentration into running hard, and was at the wrong angle to see what Mist so clearly could. Like the entire pack, Mist was utterly devoted to her Alpha. With a cry of alarm, she gathered all her strength and leaped.

Mist crashed into Iris's rump, knocking the rainbow fae out of harm's way, rolling her head over heels. The bison swung. Mist yelped in pain as that powerful head connected with her chest. The force behind the blow lifted her off her paws entirely, and the violet waja was thrown well over three body-lengths to land with a hefty thump, crumpled motionless on her side.

Nereus's character is (c) to PrairieWolf (#3415)

All other waja characters (c) to RebelWolfChris (#9773)

Waja breeds (c) to for the Wajas Fansite Secret Dream.


	2. Chapter 2

Strength of Spirit

Chapter 2

Azure Raindrop smiled reassurance at the newly pregnant Ivory Jade. "I don't think you have much to worry about, Ivy. You're a good age for a first pregnancy, and everything seems to be progressing normally."

Ivy touched her nose to Azure's in thanks. The young but knowledgeable Healer was much beloved by the pack as a whole. A lovely shade of aqua, her fur was long and thick, marked with deep blue ocelot. A pair of elegant butterfly wings were folded between her shoulderblades, and her pale eyes were soft and warm, speaking of her gentle nature. Even surly Shade would seek her out for advice.

It was at that very moment that the pale rainbow swooped from the skies, a cloud of dirt and stray ash from the den fire kicking up as she landed heavily. Shade was panting, covered in blood, wings drooping, a quivering muscle in her left shoulder betraying her exhaustion, but the same determined expression as ever was etched onto her face.

"Azure! There's been an accident, Mist has been hurt." She reported, fighting not to sink to her paws and close her eyes. With a clatter of hooves on the hard-packed earth, Breeze arrived, the sturdy earth immediately lending a broad shoulder to prop Shade up. It proved just how weary Shade was she did not brush her earth packmate away.

Azure nodded swiftly, turning to lift a small pouch neatly woven from tough fibres of grass and reeds from where she had left it. Her dark aqua wings unfurled. "Where are they now?"

"By the stream. Can't miss them."

Shade's crash-landing had drawn the attention of more early rises, and two more wajas came trotting over. In the lead was a large impassive-faced female, who's saber fangs and bat wings marked her apart from the rest of the pack. She was violet in base colour, with four or five faint markings of various purple hues that blended quite well together. Her eyes were sharp and her expression very no-nonsense, and she spoke without hesitancy. Clearly this was a waja who's word was used to being followed, and followed without question. "I'll escort you, Azure." The second female at her side nodded. She was shorter and more delicately built than the violet, her dark green fur given an attractive blue tinge by a faint rainbow marking. Gentle grey-brown tiger stripes ran down her sides and around her tail. Her sides were rounded with the middle stages of her pregnancy, but somehow the small female commanded just as much presence and respect as her companion. "Yes, Aurora will accompany you and assist with Mist." She said in agreement. Azure firmly tapped Shade, who was struggling to unfold her wings again, on her shoulder. "You're staying, Shade, you need to rest and catch your breath." She said softly. Shade scowled and swung her head. "No, I'll lead you back."

Aurora sighed impatiently an flicked her tail. "Don't argue Shade. You'll stay, or we'll end up bringing you back injured as well as Mist." The violet fae was sharper-tongued than usual. She was the pack's Lead Warrior, and despite the differences between herself and Mist, Aurora had a great deal of respect for the waja she had taught from scratch into one of the best fighters she knew.

Shade scowled again and her ears pressed back stubbornly, but the tiger-striped female placed a gentle forepaw over one of hers. "Let them go, Shade. You've done more than your part, as you always do." Somehow Emerald, the Beta Female, wasn't someone Shade could snap at or argue with. Sighing in defeat, Shade watched Aurora and Azure break into a short run, leap into the air together, and take to the skies.

"Mist!"

Hunt's cry pierced the air as she landed. The bison was still charging towards the undergrowth, Hunt at his heels, Heart clinging grimly to his back, and Shade latched onto his neck. Blood was flying everywhere as Shade twisted and yanked and her wings screamed in protest, as she was more flying alongside the bison instead of riding him. But she had certainly done her damage to the great grazer.

She caught sight of Mist being sent flying from the corner of her eye. Sensing the bison had weakened, she made a snap decision to leave him to Heart and Hunt. Opening her wings, she released her grip and hurtled back through the air towards Mist.

Epimetheus was already crouching beside the still female, worry written all over his face. Surprisingly gentle golden eyes looked up to meet Shade's as she landed beside them. "We need Azure, right now." He instructed her in a quiet but firm voice. Shade took one look at Mist's form, flared her wings and flapped hard for altitude.

Heart flattened himself out on the bison, who was very gradually slowing down. Releasing the grip he had with his teeth, he threw back his head and howled fierce and loud, then plunged back down to sink as deep a hold as he could beside the wounds Shade had inflicted.

Hunt heard the helpless fury in the Gamma's voice. He tucked his ears back along his head grimly. They had to finish this.

A second later, using his wings to add momentum to a mighty leap, he attacked the forelimbs of the racing bison. A hind hoof struck a glancing blow to the brave Lead Hunter, but he struck heedless, and snapped through a powerful, pulsing tendon in the great bison's foreleg. With one last bellow, he fell.

Iris had lain dazed for about a minute, her eyes open but her mind completely scrambled. But she was both physically and mentally a strong waja and recovered swiftly. Standing, she quickly took stock of their situation.

Hunt had completed the final grim task of latching onto the bison's windpipe, cutting off its air until it no longer had any need to breathe. Heart was standing beside Epimetheus, worry furrowing his forehead as he stared down upon a very still Mist. Iris remembered in a flash Mist's sudden leap, being knocked off her paws and seeing Mist being tossed in the other direction. Her packmate had saved her, taking the attack from the bison in her place.

Iris raced over, ignoring a throbbing headache from where a rock had connected painfully with her head on landing. "Report!"

Heart met her eyes and she read the concern in his. "Alpha, Mist has been injured and she won't wake up. Shade's gone for aid."

Epimetheus didn't look up from Mist. His steady paws were running carefully over the warrior's figure, feeling for injuries. He was not a healer, but he had a little experience with the craft. "Nasty knock to the head, she's unconscious. Heartbeat and breathing seem stable, but I'm sure she's broken a rib or two and her left foreleg doesn't look good, either."

Iris carefully lay down beside Mist, gently licking her between the ears. "You two can help Hunt with our bison. There's no sense letting it go to waste now - I'll stay with her. Epimetheus, you stand guard and inform Hunt at once if you see any scavengers."

"Yes, Alpha." Each casting one more worried look at Mist, Epimetheus spread his wings and Heart trotted towards the fallen bison.

Hunt owned a very sharp flint knife he kept safely sheathed in a leather pouch around one foreleg. Being rather thick-furred, normally only the sharpest-eyed waja might spy the strap running around Hunt's shoulder that held the knife in place, but in any case he didn't use it as a weapon. Several of the pack's females could work with skins, making warm furs to sleep in or other useful items like the holder Hunt kept his knife in. Hunt used the knife as a tool to help skin larger prey, occasionally aiding the blade with his own teeth. It was rather grisly work, but if he had not skinned it they simply would have torn through to get to the life-sustaining meat. It was all natural to the predators, as much so as breathing or laughing or running.

Epimetheus had just lifted off form his watch point perched upon a tree branch and circled slowly over the hunting grounds when he first spied it. Something large, taller than even an earth and almost twice as burly, was coming towards Hunt and Heart. Epimetheus tilted his head and frowned. His eyesight wasn't what it once was. The large animal was moving purposefully, and the head was lifted in a tracking pose. The wind whistling over Epi's flight feathers was blowing towards the creature. It must have caught the scent of prey on the air - and it looked determined enough to put up a fight for the bison they had expended so much effort into bringing down. He had seen enough. Folding his wings, he dropped towards the ground.

"Hunt, Heart! There's something very large coming this way, and I don't think it's here to say grace."

Hunt flatted his ears grimly. Just let any beast try to take a catch from Iris's Lead Hunter! He wasn't about to see their efforts wasted. "Let Iris know. Heart, take this and keep going." The Gamma male accepted Hunt's knife and the orders. With any other subordinate Heart would have immediately taken charge and been the one issuing orders, but he was one of Hunt's friends and had a lot of respect for him. Besides, they were still technically on the hunt. The Lead Hunter was still in charge.

Hunt unfolded his green, blue and dusky-white wings and sprang lithely into the air. He flapped hard for a few moments, then caught the breeze and shot upwards.

He didn't stay aloft long. It only took him a second to locate the animal Epi had warned them of. Now it was in a flat-out run, nowhere near as fast as an earth or egyptian or even a normal, but tremendous power rippled through it as it ploughed through the dry undergrowth. It looked strong. And hungry. Hunt frowned. He'd never seen anything like this in his life. It had the same basic shape as he and his packmates, apart from the incredible size difference. Long wings swept back over its shoulders, broader and heavier-feathered than Hunt's own narrow bird wings. Two very dangerous-looking black horns pointed backwards, and smaller but equally sharp spikes protruded from the beast's muzzle.

This day just got better and better.

Hunt swooped down beside the bison to find Epimetheus and Iris had moved Mist as gently as possible to beside their prey. Iris's jaw had a grim set. "It may not have been the bison this attacker scented - it might have been Mist." She growled, her tail lashing behind her at the thought. "It will be easier to defend them both if they're together. How far, Hunt?"

"It's about twelve heartbeats away!" Hunt warned. Iris bared her teeth. "Epi, stay behind the rest of us, beside Mist. You'll be her only hope if he breaks through the rest of us."

Epimetheus met her eye. "If push comes to shove, do we take Mist and run?"

Iris's head lifted, defiance shining in her eyes. One ear twisted towards Heart, who had handed Hunt his knife back them sprung boldly up onto the body of the bison, standing in plain sight. His mate was at home, heavily pregnant, very slowly starving like the rest of them were from the lack of food. Except her and Heart's unborn pup would die before she did.

"Push comes to shove, we can't give either of them up. We're not strong enough to make another catch like this without eating first." She stated simply.

"Get ready!" Heart had seen movement in the shrubs. Hunt flared his wings and fluffed out his fur, appearing much larger than he really was. Iris sprang forward to stand at his side, her ears flat back and fire in her eyes.

The attacker swiped aside a young sapling which splintered into kindling from the force of the blow. Seeing three hostile canines waiting by the source of the smell that promised to sate his hunger, he opened his mouth and roared his fury at the trio, and charged.

Writen 20-3-07 for the Secret Dream Website.

Waja characters (c) to RebelWolfChris #9773

Waja breed (c) to Estuko #1

Wajas (c) to 


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